Getting the whole story: How managerial perspectives on Antamina Mining Company's environmental strategy can alter the received wisdom about the role of international NGOs in shaping policy

Case Studies are often used to describe interactions between multinational mining companies (Mining MNCs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), particularly on issues concerning harm to the environment or poor people. These case studies are most often reported from the point of view of the NGOs and activists involved in the interaction, and do not adequately include the perspective of the firm. This paper looks at the case of Antamina Mining Company in Peru, where the firm made a dramatic shift in a key decision regarding the environmental impact of their operations. An initial analysis of the case attributed the shift entirely to an NGO campaign. This study interviewed the managers of the firm, and discovered that while the NGO played an important role, the change in policy was primarily driven by internal economic considerations. The paper shows that including the perspective of managers is important in establishing accurate case studies about the critical drivers in MNC environmental and social policy.

Keywords: non-governmental organizations, multinational mining companies, managers